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G. W. ANDERSON.

CATERPILLAR BUMPER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY17.I919.

Patented Oct. 21,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I NV E N TOR. ikm/merson A TTORN E Y5 G. W. ANDERSUN.

CATERPILLAR BUMPER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY l7. I919.

Patented Oct. 21,1919.

I N V EN TOR.

a, WW 32 ATTORNEYS A GEORGE W. ANDERSON, OF CALEXIG'O, CALIFORNIA.

CATERPILLAR-BUMPER."

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 21, 1919.

Application filed July 17, 1919. Serial No. 311,601.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, GEoEGE W. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Calexico, in the county of Imperial and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Caterpillar-Bumpers, of which the following is a specification.

My object is to make a caterpillar bumper, and my invention consists of the novel features herein shown, described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a perspective of a caterpillar tractor provided with a bumper in accordance with the'principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation illustrating the operation of the bumper.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional detail .upon an enlarged scale and taken on the lines 33 of Figs. 1 and 4.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the bumper, parts being broken away and shown in section.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 5 in Fig. 4, parts being broken away and shown in section.

Bearing brackets 1, 2, 3 and 4 are secured to the front crosspiece 5 by bolts 6. A pivot shaft 7 is mounted in the bearings 8, 9, l0 and 11 carried by the brackets 1, 2, 3 and 4. The bumper head 12 is mounted upon the shaft 7 between the bearings 9 and 10, and the brace heads 13 and 14 are mounted upon the ends of the shaft 7 inside of the bearings 8 and 11.

A front post 15 extends downwardly from the head 12. Stops 16 and 17 are formed upon the head 12 to engage the frame and limit the rotation of the head 12 upon the axis of the shaft 7. A rear post 18 extends downwardly from the head 17 at an angle of about 45 relative to the front post 15. A brace plate 19 is inserted between the posts 15 and 18 and held in place by clamps 20, 21, 22 and 23. If desired the plate 19 may be brazed to the post and the clamps omitted.

The upper shoe plate 24 is rigidly secured to the lower ends of the front post 15 and the rear post 18. Braces 25 and 26 connect the brace heads 13 and 14 to the upper shoe plate 24. Expansion coil springs 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31 are placed against the bottom of the upper shoe plate 24. The lower shoe.

plate 32 is placed against the springs and bolts 33 are inserted loosely through the upper shoe plate 24 and through the lower shoe plate 32'to hold the springs under tension. The forward end 34 of the lower shoe plate 32 is turned upwardly like a runner.

A heavy retractile coil spring 35 connects the lower part of the front post 15 to'the front wheel housing 36, the tension of the spring 35 being exerted to pull the bumper "forwardly.

Inthe practical operation the bumper is constructed so that the front post 15 is too long to stand straight up and down with the yielding shoe 32 upon the ground and with the caterpillar treads and front wheel upon level ground, and so that at this time the bumper will drag and hold the front post 15 at a backward incline with the shoe 32 running upon the ground. When the front wheel 37 runs over an elevation 38 in the road the forward end of the caterpillar frame will be raised and the spring 35 will pull the bumper forwardly until the heel of the bumper strikes the ground, and this will support the forward end of the caterpillar frame and ease the front wheel 37 down to level ground.

When the forward end of one of the cat-erpillar treads strikes the bump 38 the front wheel will be raised from the ground and the bumper will ease it down again.

Heretofore it has been usual in this form of tractor for the front wheel to vibrate up and down fiercely in going over uneven ground.

Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my-invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A caterpillarbumper'comprising a shoe mounted to swing eccentrically upon an axis and located to drag upon the ground behind the front wheel of the caterpillar, and means for pressing the bumper forwardly when the front wheel rises from the level.

2. A. caterpillar bumper comprising the combination with a caterpillar tractor, of means adapted to automatically swing forwardly when the front wheel goes up so as to ease the front wheel down again.

3. A. caterpillar bumper comprising the J combination with a caterpillar tractor, of a running on a level, and means for swinging head pivotally mounted, a front leg extendthe shoe forwardly When the front Wheel ing from the head, a rear leg extending from rises. 10 the head, the rear leg beinglonger than the In testimony whereof I have signed my 5 front'leg', a shoe construction at the lower name to this specification.

ends of the front and rear legs and adapted to drag npon ground when the caterpillar is or GEORGE W. ANDERSON.

copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, By" addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, .D. 0. 

